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Boston Latin School apologizes for student-written descriptions of two neighborhoods
By adamg on Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:13pm
Update: South Boston description posted.
An attempt to teach eighth graders at Boston Latin School how to deal with stereotypes ended today with school officials apologizing to students, parents and school staffers from two heavily White neighborhoods.
As part of a civics class for 13- and 14-year-olds in the eighth grade, students were assigned to write about stereotypes about their neighborhoods - with the goal of then discussing and dealing with those biases.
Many of the descriptions were taped up around the school library, where somebody photographed one about West Roxbury and posted a copy in one of the West Roxbury Facebook groups where people love to commiserate about how the rest of the city hates them, causing an immediate uproar that included one person demanding that the student be punished for writing the following:
To understand West Roxbury ...
To understand West Roxbury, you would have to be white and rich. The blue lives matter flags on almost every damn house. Those local stores on Centre street that are mad expensive for no reason. The Trump supporters. The anti-maskers. The old white people. The slightly racist white people. The Trump supporters. The anti-maskers.
To understand West Roxbury, you really gotta be there. The kids that play lacrosse, baseball or hockey, or all of the above. The CVS that laid off my sister. The Ohrenburger which I attended for 1 and a half years. The white girls who only wear white air forces. The Irish people. The people who get starbucks daily. That one star market I like time and time. The YMCA where Bryce Johnson gets those big gains. The 35 bus which I take almost every day. To understand West Roxbury you really gotta be rich and white.
In e-mail today, Head of School Rachel Skerritt and Associate Head of School Jonathan Mulhern apologized to the BLS community, if not the more outraged members of West Roxbury Facebook groups. Their e-mail referenced an apparently similar description by another student about South Boston:
To the BLS Community:
It came to our attention earlier today that student assignments written about various neighborhoods in Boston as part of an 8th grade civic action project were recently posted in our school library. The intent of the assignment was for students to write personal pieces that consider stereotypes about the neighborhood in which they live, with the ultimate aim of countering biases from within and outside of their communities. However, the impact, particularly in some selections depicting West Roxbury and South Boston, was one where students saw stereotyped and disparaging statements about communities to which they belong. The exhibit has been removed, though we know that this does not remove the harm that was done.
We deeply regret and apologize to members of our school community who were hurt or felt less welcome at BLS as a result of this display, and we thank those who have reached out to our school staff to learn more and express their concerns. While our committed and reflective educators aim to create conditions for students to share their lived experiences with one another, we recognize that displaying these pieces created an inaccurate perception that the viewpoints expressed are widely held or even endorsed by the school itself. This serves as a teachable moment as we continue to build our culturally responsive practices in curriculum and pedagogy.
One of Boston Latin School's greatest strengths is our diversity: our students live in every neighborhood of the city, speak over 40 languages, and represent numerous nationalities, racial identities, religions, and family histories that enrich our school and our city. Every day, our educators seek to affirm each student's pride in all of who they are, and create opportunities for our students to learn about their classmates' identities and backgrounds. We strive to ensure that students are able to discuss issues in our community in a way that honors the complexities of these topics, and that any public sharing of our thoughts and conversations fosters a safe and inclusive space for learning. Unfortunately, in this instance, we fell short of that objective.
Less than a week ago, our community shared in a unifying experience as our students revived our in-person annual Asian Night. Even through our year of remote learning, we found ways to celebrate diverse experiences. We will keep lifting up opportunities to affirm the cultures, identities, and common humanity of all students. The vital need for these efforts is demonstrated over and over again, not only within the walls of BLS, but as we witness division, hatred, and incidents of unimaginable violence across the nation.
Thank you to each of you for every instance that you contribute to the rich fabric of our community, and please reach out with any concerns. We'll be back tomorrow with our Friday updates, and appreciate your continued support.
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Comments
Apologies....
Who is gonna apologize to BRYCE JOHNSON?!?!?
no need
Not with all those those big gains!
"outraged members of West Roxbury Facebook groups"
So fragile.
Nothing in that student's writing was all that bad. From that student's point of view, his neighbors aren't welcoming to him and his family and he is expressing that in his writing; a perfectly healthy thing to do. You don't want your neighbors to talk smack about you? Be nice to them and make them feel like they belong. Problem solved.
But when the white grievance brigade sees any narrative about whiteness that they don't control, they have to double down on the unpleasant behavior that is the source of the original observation and proves the kid's point.
Please
A few word changes and there would be protests, ones you’d probably attend.
Yep. You know me.
Always up for protesting 8th-grade writing assignments.
Imagine being a whole-ass adult in 2022 and having a Facebook meltdown over a 13-year-old's observation that there are "slightly racist white people" in the Trumpiest section of a city noted for its history of bigotry. It couldn't be me.
Teachable moment
Stereotyping based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, etc. is always a problem. While some of it may ring true, too much is just plain wrong. When we tolerate intolerant behavior, regardless of who is being targeted, we give license to a death-spiral of bigotry and prejudice that's hard to come back from. Can we just agree that at this point in human evolution, as a species we're not very good at not be offended when people say things negative things about us based on WHO we are, rather than WHAT we, as individuals, do. So let's stop with broad generalizations of groups of people, let's just assume that no one likes being judged by their skin color, age, or sex, nobody is being "fragile", everyone deserves respect until they DO something to lose it.
You make it sound like the kid wrote an NOI screed.
Farrakhan this kid is not.
What, specifically, did the kid write that was so offensive? What untrue broad generalizations were made? He said "white and rich." How horrible. Yeah, not all white people are rich, so if you're not a rich white person that means he's not talking about you and you can relax. But it's not like he said anything offensive about rich white people in the first place.
And I'm sorry, but if people think the innocuous lines that this student wrote is part of a "death spiral of bigotry and prejudice," then they might be fragile. Or hyperbolic to say the least.
"What untrue broad generalizations were made?"
If you're actually rich, there's no way you'd have one of those prole blue-lives-matter flags?
We have an Overtime Estate* in our neighborhood.
Garishly overdesigned, way too big for the lot, and the shiny Statie SUV parked out front 24/7/365.
No red or white ones, of course. Just thin blue lines as far as the eye can see.
Oddly, it reminds me of living near LAX a million years ago and the local dealer who had white gates and marble statues in front of his house like Liberace.
Cops are a taxpayer funded gang and those that fly those flags are simply advocates of extra-judicial street justice.
Fascists.
Then why do want to live
Then why do want to live there? Move to a less wealthy and safe community. Be aware the aesthetics in other Boston neighborhoods often dies not come up to scratch either, with the disinvestment from absentee landlords who own all the multis.
Sure you would
If you're rich, blue exists to serve you.
Ah yes
The “rich” people of West Roxbury. Ha! People are brainwashed. Go complain in Dover. If you think cops, firefighters, electricians, and plumbers are rich, you’re brainwashed.
In fact...
...they are richer than quite a few of the white collar liberals they look down on.
No detail pay for tech workers...
If you’re in tech and not making bank
You need to look for a different job because all of these tech companies will literally throw money at any decently competent tech worker.
50k sign-on bonuses are a starting point right now.
Ah yes,
The famous Boston neighborhood of Dover...
“Ah yes”
‘The “rich” people of West Roxbury. Ha! People are brainwashed. Go complain in Dover. If you think cops, firefighters, electricians, and plumbers are rich, you’re brainwashed.’
The poem went right over your head, didn’t it?
This was literally a class
This was literally a class lesson on stereotypes. How can you teach someone about something if you can't give examples?
did a really sh*tty thing posting the 8th grade student's essay
Tim Sullivan and Lou Murray did a really sh*tty thing posting the 8th grade student's essay/poem with the student's name on it on twitter and West Roxbury neighborhood facebook pages. They both posted the poem Thursday on Twitter within a half hour of each other.
Tim, who claimed the standing of taxpayer, said Mayor Wu would take heat for it in West Roxbury. She was scheduled to host coffee the next day, Friday, at Billings. Lou criticized the students thinking. Neither seemed to me to understand the assignment was about stereotypes and bias or if they did they just thought they'd use it to drum up outrage over racial and other stereotypes anyway. If that's what they wanted, it hit its mark.
Both Lou and Tim are Ward 20 Republicans. Lou has been part of the anti-mask, anti-vax protest. Both criticize Democrats and praise Trump unabashedly.
I think they were using the student's work to fuel outrage about alleged black on white disrespect which sounds a little like reverse racism and rhymes with critical race theory critique -- they exploited an 8th graders school work for political purposes.
"Teachable Moment"
i.e. "Knowing ones place"
A child speaks through his own written word and you immediately feel the need to "teach" him something.
If you sincerely want someone to learn then do your worldview a favor;
LISTEN MORE. TALK LESS.
“Do something to lose it”
What about being a racist, a trump supporter, or someone who doesn’t have concern for the health of others? Seems like perfectly valid reason for someone to lose respect now doesn’t it?
You realize most of the
You realize most of the people pictured in the articles you linked (including Stephen DeBerardinis, the hate crime committer) don't actually live in West Roxbury, right?
The Blue Lives Matter rallies at the Holy Name Rotary were in fact organized by Dianna Ploss, not of West Roxbury, not even of Boston, but rather of Swampscott
Sure, WR has issues, but you can back up your point in much better ways
but that is the West Roxbury that is displayed to kids on the
Mbta bus. I do understand that their are outside people stirring the pot, but why are the true residents allowing this to go on?
Allowing?
I saw plenty of BLM demonstrations at that same Holy Name rotary, and they looked a lot bigger than the grumpy Trump rallies there. There was an extremely long line of voters on Day One of the November election early voting, and those people were definitely not there to vote for Trump. Biden won Ward 20 by 47 points. West Roxbury is not the hotbed of racism and Trump love that the student wrote about. But everyone should be “allowed” to stand out at the rotary with a sign if they want to.
Yes, allowing.
If those demonstrations happened in my neighborhood of regular Roxbury, official and unofficial community leaders would be speaking out in droves and showing up en masse to denounce them, rather than the shrugging and passing them off as "not from here" that happened in WR.
Yep. You know me.
Yep, fragile. Perhaps these Boston Latin Students discussed West Roxbury's Mary Tamer's Photoshopped "racialized tone" of Kendra Hicks in the campaign mailer she sent out last October? Certainly, that could have left students with that "slightly racist white people" impression.
Fiction becomes fact
I also remember when people were convinced that putting your political opponent in grayscale was a new form of racism. That was a neat trick.
Quite fragile indeed.
Tamer never had a chance because she is White and the voters wanted a Black woman whose name rhymes and sounded good. Simple as that.
White women are nothing more than Karens now.
White victimhood at its finest.
Poor Mary Tamer. Let's hold a moment of silence.
Sounds like Bostonperson is unsettled that a white city councilor was "replaced" by a non-white councilor and is desperate to filter Tucker Carlson-esque talking points onto UHub.
I just find it interesting
How a former school committee member and head of the league of women’s voters became the enemy. It was a very neat trick.
I could care less what people look like. I vote on qualifications, experience, and policy, not race. This election came down to race for many voters in the district. You can repaint it however you like.
Keep writing off people who speak the truth and calling them racists or fragile or whatever makes you feel better. That shtick will only work for so long.
Yet...
...you regurgitate the racist lie that Kendra Lara's only qualifications were her race and a catchy slogan. But it's not about race for you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I never said
Those were her only qualifications. I said what resonated the most with voters.
Mary Tamer was already a problem before election
Maybe you weren’t paying attention, but she was pretty problematic on school committee & a blatant privatizer. The privatization movement is racist in intent & practice. Her behavior during the campaign wasn’t surprising, plenty of people had her number already. So, no trick necessary, neat or otherwise.
Mary Tamer is Arab but
Mary Tamer is Arab but seemingly people here subscribe to the US census position that Arabs are white (quite a rare one, our northern neighbors among many other nations disagree)
She looks white
And that is all that matters for some people.
Many voters saw Annissa Essaibi George in a similar manner despite the fact that she is also not solely of Caucasian descent.
Annissa is half European
Annissa is half European-white, it's different.
And Tamer doesn't look white to me, as someone that lived in the Arab world half of my life. The American stereotype-driven view of needing to look like Osama bin Laden to be Arab is the furthest thing from the truth
Do you know what Caucasian actually is?
perhaps not
who posted the poem and suggested it should cause outrage?
The only connection to partisan politics that I see in the story about the 8th grader who wrote a poem about stereotypes for a lesson about bias..
is Tim Sullivan and Lou Murray, two West Roxbury residents who are grown-ass men who posted the photo of the 8th graders poem on twitter on Thursday. Both are on the Ward 20 Republican committee.
I don't know who posted it on facebook but it's clear to me that Sullivan thought it would enrage others. He suggested and expected angry people to show up a the Mayor's coffee Friday morning.
Murray, who has hung-out with Steve Bannon and had his photo taken with him and likes his and Trump's message, decided it showed how BLS students were being taught to think the wrong way.
I think their decision to exploit a middle school student's work to anger people for political effect is consistent with critical race theory outrage to get white people angry about public education, yell at school committees and run for local office.
I think what we've witnessed is the Ward 20 Republican AKA West Roxbury version of ginned-up critical race theory outrage.
Maybe there is a difference in those words?
Maybe “rich” and “white” aren’t equivalent to “poor” and “Black” because the former groups have systemic power over the latter? Maybe those “few word changes” would change the meaning completely from someone who has been marginalized talking about their marginalization to someone who is in a position of power whining about the people they have power over.
oh word, if the thing that
oh word, if the thing that was written were different, people might react differently? thanks for that sparkling insight lmao
Oh please
A few word changes, and it was probably taught at home by someone who was so personally offended by this. And little Tucker’s work would be on the fridge.
I’m sure the people who felt they were so unfairly attacked all hate a certain nickname for Mattapan, too, and aren’t at all quick to sternly correct people who don’t realize West Roxbury isn’t part of THAT Roxbury. Hell, I remember a time when I’d tell other white people I lived in East Boston, and they would be so genuinely concerned for my safety. It was really moving.
*Before some anon comes in and pops a blood vessel over it, this comment is not accusing everyone in West Roxbury of being racist. I’m talking specifically about the people who would read what the student wrote, and decide to lose their shit, grab a pitchfork, and claim the kid’s viewpoint and experiences are invalid and should be punished.
If you have to tell people you’re NOT a RACIST,
I got news for you: there’s a pretty good chance you are a racist.
And IF “outsiders” were responsible for some of those nasty blue lives matter displays, they chose W. Rox. because they knew the big juicy reaction they’d receive; outrage from the non-racists, and support from the many like-minded residents.
You
Sound like a big juicy racist
I think i get what Homer means.
It might be more about being defensive about racism. I am not a racist. However, I have said and done things in ignorance that had a racist effect. I can take responsibility to learn about systematic racism and choose not to participate.
First thing most racists say
I am not a racist.
I agree
There is something to be said for the idea that if you have to say I'm not a racist, then cleary something has brought up the subject.
way to miss the point entirely
my goodness
Kafka Trap
"West Roxbury is racist!"
I'm from West Roxbury and I'm racist."
"I win!"
"West Roxbury is racist!"
"I'm not a racist, but I'm from West Roxbury, and I resent being stereotyped as a pro-cop racist because of where I grew up."
"Your denial of racism is evidence of your racism! I win again!"
FWIW
That is quite well written for an eighth grader.
Agreed.
I really like his short descriptive style and at his age he should be encouraged not criticized by overly sensitive adults.
I just hope this doesnt start another "Aploplectic Out Of Town White People Screaming At 6AM" in another neighborhood.
Sarcasm?
My how low the bar has fallen.
Glad you said this.
I'm scratching my head at the commenters saying the essay was well written. It's mostly incomplete sentences.
Poem, not essay
Try again
It's in their vernacular, for sure
"Mad expensive for no reason." Hell, that's the only part I really find disagreeable. There's a reason, young person: Because the shop owner likes money, and the people in the vicinity pay his prices.
I hope Latin offers an econ course. I wish my high school had one.
You could have used some Literature and History classes yourself
Shakespeare used current slang and created his own that today we consider common and classic English phrases.
Um
I knew that and I agree? Your point?
Econ at Boston Latin
They do offer it, but it's an elective. It also requires that the students who elect to take it sit for two AP exams (macro and micro), which is kind of a disincentive in my opinion. Given the quality of math instruction, I'd think econ could be a big feather in the school's cap, but it isn't positioned correctly.
You Could Have Used It
You said a fancy brownstone in Back Bay costs the same to live in as a trailer park. Bet the high school kid knows that isn't true.
Stereotypes are not real
One thing I recall from a diversity and inclusion training was that stereotypes are not real. Please explain how it’s ok to write this nonsense. If someone wrote about stereotypes of Black people is that also accurate? What about Latino and Asian “stereotypes”?
Retake it
You missed the broader point of DEI training, which is that power and privilege dynamics exist, and there's a huge difference between punching up and punching down.
Context
The school specifically asked the students to write about stereotypes of neighborhoods with the intention to explain how stereotypes are harmful.
Someone @Bostonperson
Someone @Bostonperson literally re-wrote this poem about black peoples further down in the thread. Why are you so offended about observations made by someone who lives in that city? Maybe keep the racist, trump-supporting, bootlicking sentiments to your self. It’s always freedom of speech until black people want to do it.
"What could go wrong?"
We want you to write an essay about the stereotypes about your neighborhood. Then, we will post these descriptions for everyone to see. Surely nothing bad will come of this.
Do I misunderstand? Does Adam
Do I misunderstand? Does Adam G think that this exercise is healthy for the city?
From Universal Hub:
"Many of the descriptions were taped up around the school library, where somebody photographed one about West Roxbury and posted a copy in one of the West Roxbury Facebook groups where people love to commiserate about how the rest of the city hates them"
It was a well meaning attempt at education
Because let's not kid ourselves that Boston is some wonderful little Shangri-La on the Charles that has absolutely no problems between different racial and ethnic groups. One of the ways to deal with that is figuring out just what the biases are and addressing themselves, which is what this exercise was about.
But it didn't work or was seriously misinterpreted.
The school took the descriptions down from the library walls and sent an apology to the school community. Is that not enough for you? Or would you rather have the author (who is 13 or 14) taken out and put in some stocks on the Common?
Or would you rather have the
Why did the practice of public shaming in stocks disappear anyways? Or was it never as prevalent as movies make it out to be?
The assignment is a joke
Get a student to write a racist and biased diatribe and then post it on the wall in an effort to deal with stereotypes?
More accepted and tolerated implicit bias.
I think you could easily make
I think you could easily make a lesson out of this that the students would be exposed to other students perspectives on their neighborhoods, having to think about why or how they came to think that way, things that are true, things that aren't, things that are maybe true but blown out of proportion, how stereotypes are formed and cemented, how we bring our own stereotypes about places and people to interactions with others, etc.
However, now, while a formal lessonplan is out of the window, there's definitely an informal lesson here about how there's a lot of truth in stereotypes for some places and that your educational institutions will not protect you from the organized white supremacy machine.
The exhibit has been removed,
What harm was done? That one line from the principal is worse than what the student wrote. They're accusing people of being fragile with easily hurt feelings.
The fact that even the good
The fact that even the good school in Boston is making assignments like this is one more argument for receivership.
“the good school”
so there is only one good in boston? that comment alone tells me more about you than the very accurate poem the 8th grade BLS student wrote.
this city and its total lack of accountability around its own racism omg
Wait, apologize to who?
So, a 13-year-old kid has been traumatized his whole life by his racist neighbors, as part of a school assignment he writes a, quite frankly, reserved and 100% factual description of our neighborhood.
Then one of his classmates, radicalized by their racist parents, violates the student's privacy by taking a picture of his homework. They text it to their racist parent, who leaves the kids' name on the homework and within minutes is doxxing the kid on social media to gin up white outrage to go attack the mayor tomorrow. And then the school censors the student(?), and apologizes to the white racists doxxing him on social media? You couldn't make this sort of stereotypical Boston racism up. Beyond disappointed, not just in my neighbors, but in BLS and its leadership.
Where are the consequences for the parents and kids who keep violating other students' privacy and keep doing this crap all over social media? Spreading totally fictious and disgusting rumors full of racist tropes *about little kids* just because entitled parents think POC kids unfairly REPLACED their somehow "more deserving" spawn? Quite a theory.
Actually, this is pretty obviously perpetuating a racially hostile environment, which is a violation of those 13-year-ols kids' civil rights. We are about 10 seconds away from another federal civil rights case against Boston Latin School. (Is every 5 years or so their regular timetable?) Rachel Rollins, you're up to bat. Don't let these kids down.
Exactly.
If anyone deserves an apology it is not the parents in West Roxbury (who only prove the racism they deny with this persecution complex about the fiction of “reverse racism”) it is the child who was attacked again by the very racists they were talking about making them feel unwelcome in the first place. Utterly shameful and absurd.
Pretty much exactly this. I
Pretty much exactly this. I watch those Facebook groups since I live in West Roxbury and thought that based on the group names that they had something to do with neighborhood events and improvements. Instead, they’re filled with the nothing but exact disgusting racist, Trumpie meme, fascist extreme right wing nonsense that the student wrote about and the admins brag about “kicking out the libs.” If they feel so offended by the poster, instead of throwing a whiny internet tantrum, maybe they should take a good look in the mirror and realize that it’s an accurate depiction of their own abhorrent behavior. Sometimes it’s embarrassing to admit I live here.
Absolutely
I am really disappointed that the reaction was to bow to this absurd maga ahole posting a child’s name on social media.
With the education on bullying in bps that was circulating this week I hope this child’s parents are fighting back.
No violation of privacy
The school decided to make these non-divisive assignments public. It’s on them.
“Public”
Posting a school assignment inside of the school library (only accessible to people in the school community) is not “public” in the same sense that sharing this person’s information on social media with the specific intention of punishing them for offending you is “public.”
Public school libraries
Are open to the people of that community and someone took a picture. Oh well. If you post something in the library at either a public or private school with the creator’s personal information, it has gone public. The school should know better.
Since when are libraries at
Since when are libraries at public schools open to the public? That's factually false. Schools don't want strange adults wandering through the building. Might as well just post a sign saying 'come shoot up the place'.
Are you confusing public schools and public libraries??
BostonPerson doesn't know a lot of things
I really wonder if they live in the same hemisphere.
Never said that
I said open to the people of that community, meaning the students and families of the school.
how do the families get
how do the families get access to the library exactly?
Public school libraries
Are open to the people of that community and someone took a picture. Oh well. If you post something in the library at either a public or private school with the creator’s personal information, it has gone public. The school should know better.
Shades of meaning
No one violated privacy in a legal sense, in that schools can post work on the walls with names attached to it, and it's up to the student to object.
It sounds like a parent violated privacy in an ethical sense by posting this on social media.
The right thing for the parent to do is what the West Roxbury parent above is doing, which would be to explain to your children why students of color feel unsafe in your neighborhood and to teach them to develop empathy and to work to dismantle these dynamics, rather than deciding that pointing out racism is somehow offensive.
THANK YOU
Yes, I'm also disappointed in the response. It centered white fragility and censored a student expressing what their life experience as a POC of has been.
West Roxbury Facebook groups
Just a reminder, since there was mention of building a new West Roxbury High School campus the past couple of weeks. When WREC was closed it was with the understanding and agreement that any school, 9-12/7-12, that was built on that property was an open enrollment, traditional Boston Public School that accepted students citywide. No boutique "pilot," "innovation," or "hub" school with community autonomy!
Comprehensive high school
I’m all for a comprehensive high school nearby. But I’m curious because we don’t seem to need more schools, given declining enrollment. Something on one of the GND websites said they would be looking at which high schools should move into the new WREC building. I think the closest schools are New Mission High and Another Course to College, in Hyde Park. Both seem semi-autonomous. But surely they wouldn’t eliminate high schools in Hyde Park, just to switch all BPS upper schools to comprehensive?
Plus a new high school in
Plus a new high school in Westie doesn't make much since given the locals refuse to send their kids to any public school other than BLS. Why should kids from the rest of the city shuttle out to the section of Boston with the least public transit?
You are misinformed and misinforming.
The city invested $22M in Millennium Park and there is an MBTA stop on site and the commuter line is just down the street. What you might not know is that Boston High Schools are citywide. This is so that all students have a shot at the federally funded Carl D. Perkins CTE Programs. Why shouldn't kids who live and have spent their education in some of the bleakest parts of Boston, enjoy a new school building with decks and windows that fully open, a pool, and beautiful sports fields! Students from all over the city enrolled at WREC and that included West Roxbury.
Dude it takes a half hour to
Dude it takes a half hour to walk from Millennium Park to the commuter rail. And the MBTA just announced they're removing the bus stop from the area for the singular bus that did go out there. That in of itself is the writing on the wall for that building never reopening.
BPS used to have a department
BPS used to have a department that kept track of the age/grade/race demographics. Right now BPS has many students on the K/6 level. As these kids age up there will be a need for more high school seats. WREC students came from all over the city for the media and numerous sports programs and onsite playing fields.
Prior to being closed, West Roxbury Beethoven-Ohrenberger parents advocated for a K-6/7-12 model. They wanted WREC closed and reopened as a 7-12 feeder "neighborhood" school for the Ohrenberger, who MCAS scores tanked when BPS assigned "capacity" students to fill empty seats when kids danced off to Boston Latin. In addition to the change to the Ohrenberger community, there was concern for the self-esteem of those students remaining who didn't get into the exams. So their idea was that everyone would leave in grade 7 for WREC or BLS. Nobody addressed what would happen to WREC in grade 9 when students got a second shot at the exams or went to Catholic Memorial.
New Mission High School and Another Course to College are boutique BPS "pilot" schools with a student applications that would make a charter school blush. From what I understand New Mission is merging with the McCormack. Although it was changing under Superintendent Cassellius, pilots do not educate the the same level of SPED/SWD & ELL populations as Traditional BPS high schools. That's why the pilot principals were complaining and wanted her out. If you see a Pilot or Innovation touting that they are Level 1, ask them what traditional high school is taking their SPED/SWD and ELL students. That's why traditional high schools appear "underperforming."
The agreement was that, as before, the new WREC building will be a traditional BPS high school that educates all students citywide. Why shouldn't kids who live and have spent their education in some of the bleakest parts of Boston, enjoy a new school building with decks and windows that fully open, a pool, and beautiful sports fields!
Look in the mirror.
As someone with roots and relatives in both Southie and Westie, I say the truth is hard to face. But, take a good look in the mirror and own up to your original sin of racism. Yes, no one is perfect and we can waste time engaging in “whataboutism,” but that gets us nowhere good.
Skerritt and Mulhern represent the best that BLS has produced and they have led the school through many storms. And, this is their reward as they walk out the door- to be excoriated and humiliated by snowflakes in Westie?
I say thank you and Good Luck to them. And Good Luck to BLS! Almost 400 years was a good run.
Context Is Important
JP Mom,
I do think context is important. I’m not as bothered by the piece of writing as I am about the broader context within which it was created - leaders in our city, many on social media, even our own city councilor have stereotyped and vilified West Roxbury over the past two years. Just go on Twitter on any given day. It is stomach churning - especially so during this past election cycle. Add to that a policy intentionally designed to exclude West Roxbury students from BLS, and currently being celebrated for doing so. The “I hate West Roxbury”comments from a school committee member, while they resulted in the resignation of the member, were passionately defended. Even the words in this essay were defended on Twitter last night by parents who serve in leadership positions on the BLS SPC. Students at BLS are not isolated from the dialogue happening around the city. Negative Stereotypes about “kids from West Roxbury” have become pervasive. As ALL stereotypes are, this has the effect of becoming dehumanizing and alienating. I’m not surprised to see this surface in a writing assignment about neighborhood stereotypes. 2/the context around the assignment itself remains unclear to me. It is possible the very purpose of the assignment was to understand the stereotypes students hold and the danger of stereotypes and bigotry. Unfortunately, publicizing this particular assignment, within the broader context that our students are living in right now, gives it the immediate (and understandably hurtful) appearance of being a widely held and celebrated point of view at BLS. That is a problem. I appreciate the IMMEDIATE action from BLS leadership and statement that it is not endorsed nor widely held. But I think the level of hurt it created is due to the reality that these stereotypes ARE held by enough people, adults included, to make it a problem that needs addressing.
Signed,
WR Mom
change begins at home
A good next step for WR families who are hurt by these stereotypes would be to start making choices that better reflect how the community would like to be perceived. This reactionary, pitch-fork-in-arms, white fragility response to a poem written by an 8th grader for a school assignment that was never intended to be shared by supposedly grown adults on a private facebook group for their public excoriation reinforces the very same stereotypes from which West Rox claims they want to be divorced
civics class
I thought it would teach something else.
Ah, and this is good old
Ah, and this is good old Boston, the home of the bean and the cod, where 25% of the electorate, gives the school system you deserve.
Rich white person here. I
Rich white person here. I live in WR. I work 2 jobs. Can't afford shit. Eating out of a food pantry and take the 32. I can't live in Newton or Wellesley because that's where the real rich white people live and they wouldn't want me.
Wait
The 32 doesn’t go through West Roxbury.
Nothing to apologize for
Where’s the lie?
Does Boston Latin school believe in the nonsense of reverse racism? They should not have apologized to privileged and reactionary people acting like they are victims when their very real privilege and reactionary politics is pointed out.
As a well-off white person
I honestly have a hard time feeling offended about that, and suspect anyone who was offended is choosing to feel fragile about it. Buck up, get over it. There are worse things than being called rich and white.
Second, don't punish this kid for writing about racial relations in their neighborhood. White people like to pretend race doesn't exist; non-white people have to acknowledge it and are more willing to speak about it openly, because it's "more of a reality" for them.
Third, this sounds like an ill-thought-out project. How could it possibly have gone *right*? (Specifically the posting it publicly part.)
I think it's hilarious
We should have more bad ideas in schools. Shall we brainstorm?
-Assign students to write a paper about the etymology and social function of a particular racial slur. Write down the slurs yourself and have them pick them out of a hat. Make sure you have enough slurs for all the students.
-Pick the most divisive issues of the day and randomly assign students to take the most extreme viewpoints, to be presented in youtube videos. Extra points for getting banned on social media.
-Have each child write a pretend report to the secret police (pick a country!) informing them of their parents' misbehavior. Have the children investigate whether their parents could actually be in violation of any American laws for this behavior, and to whom they would report here.
We could start a childrens' group and call it the Junior Spies!
'Are you guilty?' said Winston.
'Of course I'm guilty!' cried Parsons with a servile glance at the telescreen. 'You don't think the Party would arrest an innocent man, do you?' His frog-like face grew calmer, and even took on a slightly sanctimonious expression. 'Thoughtcrime is a dreadful thing, old man,' he said sententiously. 'It's insidious. It can get hold of you without your even knowing it. Do you know how it got hold of me? In my sleep! Yes, that's a fact. There I was, working away, trying to do my bit -- never knew I had any bad stuff in my mind at all. And then I started talking in my sleep. Do you know what they heard me saying?'
He sank his voice, like someone who is obliged for medical reasons to utter an obscenity.
"Down with Big Brother!" Yes, I said that! Said it over and over again, it seems. Between you and me, old man, I'm glad they got me before it went any further. Do you know what I'm going to say to them when I go up before the tribunal? "Thank you," I'm going to say, "thank you for saving me before it was too late."
'Who denounced you?' said Winston.
'It was my little daughter,' said Parsons with a sort of doleful pride. 'She listened at the keyhole. Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh? I don't bear her any grudge for it. In fact I'm proud of her. It shows I brought her up in the right spirit, anyway.'
I prefer something like
Students Taking Action for Superior Inclusion. Just call it S.T.A.S.I. for short.
No need to spectulate
D.A.R.E. already does this, as do many alleged "abuse-prevention" programs that encourage students to tell school personnel any time they're left alone, their feelings are hurt, they're punished, someone yells, anyone uses substances, without teaching anything about context in which these things are occurring or what's normal behavior vs. problematic behavior.
Public schools (of which I'm a huge supporter, but which doesn't mean there isn't a need for reform) are consistently the largest source of unfounded reports to the family policing system. I see stacks and stacks of them for children mentioning alcohol, knowing the correct names of genitals, being unsupervised for any length of time, being proud that they made their own lunch or did a new chore, being upset that they have chores, mentioning a parent having emotions, and all kinds of ridiculousness.
So keep everything a secret?
Encouraging children to talk about everything that is hurtful to them is healthy. An intelligent adult can process these feelings.
Yeah but
They're telling these things to school teachers.
Nope
The best ways to prevent abuse are:
1) Comprehensive sex education, which begins teaching about consent beginning in kindergarten and mainly teaches about it in nonsexual contexts
2) Teaching and modeling methods of dealing with conflict such as nonviolent communication and Ross Greene's method
3) Teaching about power and privilege constructs
4) Approaches that teach children to listen to their bodies and trust that they know what they need
Practices that are not recommended are:
1) Teaching that police, government agencies, and those that report to them are "helpers," full stop
2) Teaching that any conflict at home should immediately be reported to the government
3) Any practices that go against concepts of consent and teaching children to trust their instincts and their bodies, such as requiring students to eat regardless of whether they're hungry, requiring students to sit still in a particular type of chair regardless of how they learn best and what their body needs, extreme forms of behaviorism such as ABA, forcing kids to "share," telling disabled kids to assimilate and pretend to be nondisabled and they'll stop being picked on
Also, the public schools and US culture in general are very much using the "teach everyone everything is a secret" approach, in that any mentions of sexuality or substance use are considered taboo and problematic. Schools are like, we won't teach you about any of this, and if you learned it somewhere else, then it must have been from an abuser or while you were running the streets, and can't possibly have been from a responsible parent who teaches comprehensive sex and drug education at home.
Nah Eeka
You are talking about stuff that 95% of the population has parents teach their children….maybe that’s the disconnect here.
95%?
Seriously?
Source?
sorry I’m assuming this is swirl?
My swirl block is on and working! (I can still see you responded but can’t see what you wrote. Hopefully this continues to work!!!)
Wait what?
Are you saying 95% of US parents teach something comparable to WHO CSE?
This is just absolutely not something that’s occurring.
But I do see stacks of reports from public school teachers who are “extremely concerned” that a child knows something at the age recommended for that knowledge in CSE standards.
Some that I’ve seen include children knowing the names of genitals in kindergarten, a 10-year-old stating they’re bisexual, a 10-year-old stating they’re non-binary, a 7-year-old saying “vodka” when a science class was asked what a container of clear liquid might be, an 8-year-old knowing what cannabis was when recreational use was all over the news, an 11-year-old correctly defining what rape was when a peer asked, an AFAB 13-year-old saying something about “it needs veins” when a peer was drawing a penis. These things are all at or quite past the age that CSE standards state youth should know them. Schools aren’t teaching CSE, and a lot of parents are, but certainly not 95%. The schools are getting vague trainings saying to report everything that goes on, including “knowledge of sex or substances inappropriate for age,” and they don’t know what’s an appropriate age and aren’t taught this. They don’t get the trainings from clinicians regarding how “better safe than sorry” policing only does harm.
Misogyny
Don't say "AFAB" instead of "girl." Erasure of women is misogyny.
Found the TERF
The relevant piece here was the presumed external genitalia of the youth, not the youth's current gender identity, which wasn't girl/woman.
Had I been talking about someone's experiences as a girl/woman, I'd have used those terms.
If you brushed up on comprehensive sex education, you would know this.
(And BTW, referring to AFAB folks when that is the umbrella grouping you are discussing is inclusive, not erasure. If we have a reason to talk about all AFAB folks regardless of gender, that's exactly the terminology to use to include everyone. If we're talking about something specific like menstruation, we would want to refer to all people with periods, which is not all AFAB people.)
Preach it
Auntie Ruckus
Found the terrorist
TERF is a slur.
https://terfisaslur.com
TERF is a slur that celebrates violence against women.
Do you want to stab me now?
Do you want to stab women?
Or just women who don't take dick?
No, it's not
And you don't get to claim you're "oppressed" for being called out on your bigotry. The world can see how often your friends team up with the far right activists who want women back to being broodcows.
Deranged.
Yikes.
Take a break, Sock
Enough with the TERF stuff. There are other places where you can let your anti-trans hatred out.
Down
With the radical feminists!
TERF is still a slur.
Sorry just saying in general.....(not CSE "standards")
And I'm not talking about "reporting". If a teacher hears something concerning, it needs to be brought up with the parents. They should only be "reporting" signs of abuse or neglect. All of your examples above don't need to be reported.
Just saying every parent has probably had some sort of conversation with their kids about what is and isn't appropriate. For 6 year olds its probably not talking about their privates, closing the door when they go to the bathroom, not to touch other kids (anywhere), etc. I'm guessing 5% of kids have parents to neglect this stuff.
Right...
You're making exactly the same point I am.
A sizeable number of families do not follow CSE standards. I do court assessments for plenty of normal school-age children from normal families who do not know the correct names of their genitals, nor of genitals they do not have. They've been told "not to talk about them." Kids are also told "don't touch anyone," then they see that peers are in fact touching either other frequently in play, to comfort one another, to assist one another, and they recognize that "don't touch anyone" isn't the community norm, but they haven't been taught that you seek consent before touching.
The kids who are taught CSE are reported for "age-inappropriate sexual knowledge," because teachers and even fucking medical providers don't know what's appropriate, and think it's inappropriate for kids to know the proper names of genitals. They think it's inappropriate to know terms for gender and sexual orientation (which CSE teaches in the lowest bracket, as do I and many families). I listed a whole bunch of things that schools should be teaching, and do in most civilized countries, that I've seen schools here in MA report as "age-inappropriate knowledge."
I know that none of that needs to be reported. That's the point. I am frequently contracted by DCF, CPCS, and private attorneys to assess families and expert witness for those things, because this state screens in most reports, and the people investigating them are not clinicians. The families get wrapped up in nonsense for months or years before it can be properly assessed by experts who say that of course it isn't neglect that a parent and child are discussing that a child is bi or trans and promoting the correct language for discussing these things, and of course it isn't neglect that a preschooler knows words for genitals. I think it's neglect (in a clinical sense, not something I would ever suggest reporting) when kids aren't given the language for discussing these things. I see a lot of queer tweens and teens who struggled for years because they had no idea there was a word for how they are and that it's normal.
Mandated reporting laws (which, BTW, have been shown to harm rather than help, and which many mainstream law schools and social work departments advocate for abolishing) do not require reporting of "signs" of abuse or neglect. They state that a mandated reporter can face punishment for knowing about the presence of abuse or neglect (defined as an action or inaction by a caregiver that did or could likely have resulted in serious lifelong harm) and failing to report.
Most of the mandated reporting trainings given to schools and programs though do not spell this out correctly, and do in fact promote "better safe than sorry" practices, which have been shown to cause harm. Schools and other organizations are focused on making sure they are not liable for a failure to report, rather than making sure they aren't harming children or families.
DCF's own guidance says it's best to let the family know you are making a report, but it also says "a reporter may not do their own investigation" before or rather than reporting. This of course refers to situations like when there are clear signs of serious sexual abuse or trafficking, that they don't want people muddying up their eventual investigation. But schools and others think it means you shouldn't first talk to the parents and be like, hey, your kid is talking about genitals/alcohol/whatever quite a bit. And reporters should very much be consulting with experts on child development as well as other topics involved. These ridiculous reports would not be constantly made if the person who found it "concerning" that kids are saying they're queer/trans would first send an e-mail to someone at The Borum or Youth Pride and ask for guidance, and get the response that it's common and normal for many kids to be aware of sexual orientation and gender identity at preschool age. Or, you know, if the schools and programs all had ample queer people on staff who would consistently be educating the program that they need to be inclusive and affirming of kids at all ages, and who would shut down the thinking that kids under 18 being queer is somehow sexualized behavior.
Reporters have massive immunity. Families can't usually get false reporting even looked into. I've been an expert witness for cases involving false reporting, which usually can't even get into court unless the Department and/or the reporter have also demonstrated other major missteps. In one, an in-home therapist was tasked with, among other things, taking a preschooler to their established classes at the YMCA, library, etc., usually without the parents. The therapist didn't like the family's religious beliefs and reported the family for "brainwashing the child, telling the child what to believe, not letting the child leave the house, not letting the child be around anyone but the parents, not letting the child have friends." Clearly we can see why this is knowingly making a false report, right, since the therapist can't possibly claim to believe that the child doesn't leave the house and go see peers? No, the outcome was that it was completely unfounded, but that the therapist must have observed something that led them to "feel that way."
I feel like this is a case of
I feel like this is a case of only hit dogs holler. I'm white and well off and live in Westie and all the things this kid says are.... pretty mild, and accurate to a non-insignificant portion of the populace? Hell, the bit about irish and complaining about the stores on centre are true for me, I laughed because it's relatable.
The only reason you'd find this offensive is if you are racist, know you're racist, and are (like most racists) enraged that some person of color dares to call you out on it, because those people are more concerned about upholding their social status of "not racists" than they are about, you know, treating people nicely. Which is why instead of using the incident as an opportunity for dialogue and understanding, they throw a fit until the school capitulates.
I'm TOTALLY sure this kid is looking at this reaction and the school's reaction and really feeling like "oh man I definitely was mistaken in my observations, people in west roxbury aren't like this at allllllllll."
Who is outraged by this?
I'll bet it's the guy with the "F*ck Joe Biden and F*ck You for Voting for Him" bumper sticker, who lives down the street from me here in WR.
But come on, a Blue Lives Matter flag on almost every house? I count only 3 on my block.
My issue is that this was not
My issue is that this was not the assignment. The assignment was stereotypes about your community and how to overcome them. It was meant to be an empowering exercise but some students did not get the concept. I would in this case blame the school for not addressing how they turned the narrative. If this were about Roxbury people instead of West Roxbury people I am sure everyone would be flipped.
We need to take what kids say with a grain of salt. We also need to make sure teachers and others are being careful if they are going to go down these roads. If you are dealing with sensitive topics you should be taking extra precautions to make sure guidelines are followed by all. Not just by those you agree with.
Feel like there's a lot of
Feel like there's a lot of people who've never been teachers in this post.
It's not unusual for a project to consist of several assignments or standalone pieces of work, that are then built on top of with the next step of assignments. This is basic scaffolding and structuring so you can guide students through the steps from regurgitation to analysis. It's basic critical reading and thinking skills.
If this was my class:
Day 1-2: Write stereotype works, post so kids can read them independently, process them at their own pace
Day 3: Discuss in class: what do you agree with? what do you disagree with? is it easier to agree or disagree with stereotypes from other neighborhoods? have you had experiences to the contrary in your own neighborhood? what factors might affect how our experiences differ, in the same place? do these reports agree with each other or are they saying different things? how would you counter-argue against these stereotypes?
Day 4: pick another student's piece and write a response - figure out the main points presented by your peer and dissect them in a more formal essay.
Gave students assignment to
Gave students assignment to write on neighborhood stereotypes.
Students did so
That student wrote well.
Wrote well on an inconvenient point of view.
...
The assignment may have been ill-thought.
Posting them might have been ill-advised.
None of that is the student's fault.
Thanks, saved me some typing
.
Move Things Forward
I live in West Roxbury. I'm a middle aged white man. I get it. I agree with a lot of what the student highlighted in the essay. I think the student gave an honest response to the assignment. And it shouldn't be wipe away (kudos to Adam for publishing it here).
The question is WHAT'S NEXT? What can WE, the residents of West Roxbury DO to help make thing MORE inclusive? How do we encourage kids of color to participate in our activities and FEEL like this neighborhood is their neighborhood as much as anyone else's? Post your POSITIVE CONSTRUCTIVE ideas below here and maybe we could take a small step to improving our neighborhood (not just the perception, but the reality).
It's official
This country hates children and teenagers.
We're trying to stop abortions, why again?
No, WE aren't trying to stop
No, WE aren't trying to stop them. Some forced birther a-holes are. The least pro-life ppl out there are the ppl that want to end abortions.
As for the kid that wrote about WR...he isn't wrong. It amazes me that when a POC brings up race whitey loses their minds.
WR has been racist for as long as I can remember. Is everyone in WR racist? Of course not. But WR has earned their reputation. Not only for their racism toward POC but towards anything that's "outside of the box."
FFS people that didn't want to die crossing the street were called commies...
Sooo
Did these kids plagiarize the former school committee members’ texts?
Also the assignment was neighborhood stereotypes, not insult people and generate hatred. There is a difference.
Stereotype
noun. plural stereotypes. Britannica Dictionary definition of STEREOTYPE : an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic.
What do you think a stereotype is?
Stereotypes are insulting. The only actual reason this wouldn’t be a stereotype is that it is true.
To understand Mattapan
To understand Mattapan, you would have to be black and poor. The black lives matter flags on almost every damn house. Those local stores on Blue Hill Ave that sell a bunch of stuff for no reason. The Biden supporters. The people not wearing masks. The old black people. The slightly racist black people. The Biden supporters. The people not wearing masks.
To understand Mattapan, you really gotta be there. The kids that play basketball, ride dirt bikes, join gangs or all of the above. The CVS that laid off my sister. The Mildred which I attended for 1 and a half years. The black girls who only wear black air forces. The Haitian people. The people who get nips daily. That super market I like time and time. The Blue Hill Ave Recreation Center near the violence in Harambee Park. The 28 bus which I take almost every day. To understand Mattapan you really gotta be poor and black.
Epic takedown…
…of an 8th-grade writing assignment. You have bright future writing op-eds for a young adult version of the Daily Wire and should be proud of that. Uncle Howie approves.
Truth hurts
My friend
“i know you are but what am i”
it all make sense now, Bostonperson is actually another 8th grader at BLS
This is what actual racism looks like
A perfect example of how “a few simple changes” someone mentioned above would actually make this a completely different thing. Shitting on poor Black people for being poor and Black is actually racist and in no way equivalent to pointing out the racism of rich white people.
This is what actual racism looks like
A perfect example of how “a few simple changes” someone mentioned above would actually make this a completely different thing. Shitting on poor Black people for being poor and Black is actually racist and in no way equivalent to pointing out the racism of rich white people.
wow
Really think you did something there don’t you. All you actually did is show how much of a hypocrite those pretending the student was racist are. Talking about how white people are racist is unacceptable racism but being extremely racist about Black people is hilarious right?
I never said
Anything was unacceptable.
I also don’t doubt the author’s experience.
Welp.
Interesting choice to choose booze instead of, you know, Dunkin for a more direct comparison.
…Hang on my dog is barking.
I chose
Frivolous spending. Have you seen how many liquor stores are in poor neighborhoods? There are nips on the ground everywhere, just as there is Starbucks trash in other neighborhoods.
I would rather talk to someone in a liquor store than a Starbucks. I have nothing against people who drink.
Have you seen
How many wealthy folks have a freakin full bar of stuff that literally cost more than I make in a month?
Raises my hand
They taste damn good too
Oh don't get me wrong
I'm in favor of alcohol use, for those who can do so safely, and I enjoyed partaking of rich people's fancy bars when I had a professional affiliation that involved being invited to such things. Just...it's hardly the folks of Mattapan buying their nip bottles who are doing the frivolous spending on alcohol around here.
(And for fuck's sake, resident UH racists, it's so obvious you don't even get out into the neighborhoods the way you always choose Mattapan as your example of "the hood." Aside from Mattapan Square which is probably the only area of the city you've driven through and seen Black folks, Mattapan is largely single-family homes and has a high rate of home ownership.)
I meant relative frivolous spending.
Coffee is a few dollars and so is a nip.
I’m in Mattapan a decent amount, believe it or not.
I could have picked some other food corporation instead of just saying nips, but I would’ve been lambasted for that as well. It’s all hypocrisy at its finest.
nope
Nips are for alcoholics and the money alcoholics spend on nips is life or death to them.
Reaching but ok
Not everyone who buys nips is an alcoholic, just as not everyone who buys coffee is an addict.
But an addict spending their only few dollars on their fix can at times be life or death and not be deemed frivolous. That we can agree on.
Who else is buying nips then?
Who else is buying nips then?
Somebody who likes to
Somebody who likes to experiment with new cocktail recipes but doesn't want to commit to buying a whole bottle of some wacky flavored fruit vodka.
Somebody sneaking alcohol into an otherwise 'no outside alcohol' venue (sports venue, movie theater, etc) because you don't want to drop 18$ on weak drinks but will be buying the 6$ cup of soda/mixer there
Somebody who got the idea for 'make your own cocktail kits' off pinterest and is putting together stocking stuffers of nips+fancy rim salt+whatever
somebody who is reaching
that's you, racist.
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